


Queen's Support

by Woofemus



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Developing Friendships, During Canon, F/F, Fluff, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 04:45:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11684370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woofemus/pseuds/Woofemus
Summary: Makoto has heard of her, was lucky enough to make her acquaintance once, and now she's standing in front of the church in Kanda.





	Queen's Support

**Author's Note:**

> I still can't get over how makoto invites you out but then gets stolen away by hifumi on the same date
> 
> possible spoilers for september, and for both makoto and hifumi's confidantes

The church is… well, very much a church like Makoto’s expected. It’s spacious, quiet, and smells like musk. There’s lilies at the entrance, arrayed in a line behind the benches. A few people are sitting in the pews. They glance up when she enters, except for two who look like they're paying more attention to each other. Makoto’s not sure if this makes it any more awkward than she already feels. She can count the number of times she’s set foot in a church on one hand, much less one as old as this one. She thinks it’s old. It looks old. She’ll look it up later to make sure.

Makoto looks around again, with purpose this time. There should be—ah! And there she is, the one Makoto's come to see, at the very front row of the benches, the only reason she’d step into a church all the way out here in Kanda so late at night. Pushing down the small flutter of nervousness in her stomach, Makoto makes her way to the front.

Her steps thud loudly even with the rug underneath. It makes her cringe, and she treads carefully now. She’s not sure why she’s so self-conscious now. Nerves? Probably. Makoto’s only _heard_ of her, has only met the girl _once (_ even if the conversation they engaged in was enjoyable) _,_ and she's out here in the middle of the night in an old church—

A slap pierces the air. Makoto jolts, eyes wide as she frantically scans all over. What had _that_ been? It takes a moment to calm herself down, especially when she realizes that none of the other patrons are reacting. Not even the priest standing at the front seems to be making much fuss. That’s… a normal occurrence then? What even _was_ that sound?

After a few seconds of what must look like cluelessness to the other people in the church, she finally starts to move again. She's bracing herself for that loud sound again, though. She won't be caught off guard this time.

The sound doesn’t happen when she finally gets to the front of the benches. Her eyes are drawn to the shogi board on the seat, and it makes her almost chuckle. She clears her throat instead, mostly to steady herself, but it catches the attention of the one she’s trying to greet. “Hello, Togo-san.”

The pretty girl sitting on the bench smiles, the expression going up to her eyes even. There’s a slight pause before she finally speaks, probably trying to recall who Makoto is. “Niijima-san, from the other day,” she says with a small nod of her head. Her voice is as soft as Makoto remembers, even softer here now that they’re indoors.  “Good evening.”

Makoto’s smile grows friendlier. Togo gestures down toward the bench, across from the shogi board next to her. “Please, have a seat.”

Makoto nods, and sits down, turning her body toward Togo. Her eyes go over the board and the pieces scattered about. “You weren’t kidding about practicing shogi in church.”

“It’s… quiet,” Togo says after a pause that Makoto’s not sure is deliberate. It might be, when Makoto catches the way Togo suddenly seems uncomfortable. But it’s only for a quick moment, and it disappears as fast as it came. Now Togo is reaching down, moving the pieces back in place.

“You mentioned knowing how to play shogi last time. If it doesn’t trouble you, would you like to play a game with me?” she asks.

Makoto looks down at the board before going back up to Togo, a corner of her lips tugging upward. “That’s why I’m here, right?”

Togo smiles. “Of course.” She tilts her head as she crosses her legs. Makoto can’t help but follow the motions. Togo’s legs are long and slender, very nice--“You’re not a complete beginner like Kurusu-kun is, though. So—”

“I might not know as much as you do,” Makoto immediately says, evenly meeting Togo’s eyes. The hint of a smirk plays across her lips, and she can see the same expression coming onto Togo’s lips as well. “But I’ll be sure to make it worth your while.”

Togo crinkles her eyes and moves her arms, resting an elbow in a hand while she leans her head against the back of her other hand. Makoto gets the feeling she’s going to see Togo do this a lot. “I’m glad to hear that. Very well. It would be disrespectful of you and your troops to not give it my all. But, will you be able to get through the knights that guard my Togo Kingdom?”

Makoto smiles with a nod, until her mind processes through the rest of Togo’s sentences.

Wait.

What was that bit at the end? Knights? Kingdom? Shogi’s a game between generals, true, but—

But Togo is already moving the pieces into place, and looks over at her expectantly, and Makoto decides she needs to focus on the battle in front of her.

* * *

Makoto knows, the moment she moves her piece, that she's done for. Togo chuckles, a low and ominous sound that makes shivers run down Makoto’s back.

“You’ve fallen right into my trap! Bear witness as I claim victory for myself!”

Togo secures her victory with a cry of “Silver Infinity Sword!” and a slam against the board. The strike of the shogi piece against the board claps into the air.

_Oh!_

That explained that loud sound from earlier, at least.

Still, she didn’t know Togo would be the sort of person for such… dramatic flair.

 _Must be a Kosei thing_ , she thinks.

Makoto sighs, and looks at Togo from across the board. “I concede,” she says. Togo gives her a tiny smile, but Makoto can feel every ounce of victory and satisfaction behind it. Makoto knows she'd been outclassed, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t going to at least _try_ to give Togo a run of her money. But to think _she’d_ be baited into attacking and not realize until after…

Frontal assaults don't work in shogi like they do in real life, Makoto is dismayed to learn. She's picked up a lot. Togo plays as good as she looks—

“O-oh!” Togo suddenly looks away, a blush coming onto her face. “I’m sorry, I have a habit of, um, saying all those things. It helps me focus when I practice matches.”

“Ah…” That’s the second mystery solved, but now Makoto’s not sure what to say. Togo’s mortified, and frankly, Makoto’s felt some of that embarrassment.

“It’s… refreshing,” Makoto finally answers, as earnestly as she can. Togo looks at her strangely, as if she hadn’t expected Makoto to say something that. But Makoto’s honest. It’s a little strange but Makoto can hardly judge, not with the things _she_ says while in the Metaverse. “Please, feel free to, uh, continue.”

Togo’s still blushing but she murmurs a “Thank you,” and sends a tiny smile across the board.

In that moment, Makoto decides she wouldn’t mind coming around to see Togo again.

* * *

 

Making time to visit the church is easier said than done, what with trying to study for exams and keeping a low profile with all the excitement over the Phantom Thieves now. Sae also unexpectedly comes back for a few days and awkward as it is sometimes, Makoto still wants to be around when her sister is home. Eight days pass before Makoto can finally come back to the church.

Unfortunately, Togo isn’t there.

And also not there the next day either.

It’d be easier if they had each other’s contact numbers. Makoto makes a note to ask for it next time.

The day after that, Togo is _finally_ there.

Makoto’s not sure why she’s gone to the church three nights in a row. She’s sure she’ll be a regular at that point, just coming around to check if there’s a girl sitting at the front of the pews. The Father at least greets her with a polite smile now.

“Niijima-san, you’ve come,” Togo says, a smile on her lips and eyes crinkled. “Would you like to play a game with me?”

Makoto smiles back, and takes a seat. “Of course.”

* * *

She forgets to ask for Togo’s contact information when they finish another exciting game. Makoto can’t come the next day though. So she comes two days afterward, and Togo is there, seemingly waiting for her. Makoto gets lucky the next few times too.

Sometimes, she bumps into Akira at the church. There’s just something embarrassing about that though, mostly because he looks at her with this grin that tells her like he’s figured out _something_ , but Makoto hasn’t. What is it that he sees? But he offers Togo’s time for her instead, and though Makoto protests, he only shakes his head and saunters away with that lazy gait he likes to fake. Togo’s eyes watch them with detached curiosity, but they brighten once Makoto sits down across from her.

Playing shogi is a nice stress-reliever, and it helps Makoto out too, in more ways than one. After playing more than several games together, Togo’s taught her more than several useful moves.

“Retreating always sounds like you’re losing, but as a queen, you must think of your knights, the ones fighting to defend your kingdom. If I had to choose, it is better to lose your pride than to lose your army.” A thin frown forms across Togo’s lips. “When I get caught in an attack, I can hear my pieces crying, and it disheartens me.” Her face changes, and were she anyone else, Makoto would have said that the whole display would have been… melodramatic, unnecessary. But the look of genuine pain on Togo, how she just looks _so_ anguished at the thought of inanimate wooden shogi pieces _suffering_ , is also _perfectly_ Togo too. It’s not silly if Togo feels so sincerely about it.

Makoto nods, but Togo looks embarrassed at her own admission. “I understand perfectly,” Makoto says with such strong conviction that Togo’s taken aback. Well, maybe not _perfectly_ , but she thinks about when she’s in the Metaverse and issuing commands to the others when they run into tight spots, how if one of them were to get hurt while following her commands, it makes her feel guilty. In a way, it’s not dissimilar to the pieces on a shogi board. In a more real sense. Makoto’s not too sure if she's even thinking about this the right way anymore.

“It takes a strong heart and leader to know when retreating is the best option. What’s the point of winning if you lose most of your troops in the end?” Makoto shakes her head. “Still, if only soldiers didn’t have to be lost.”

“It would be nice to save everyone, wouldn’t it? No need for sacrifices to bait out an enemy, no need for risks…”

“Yes. That’s the ideal situation, but…”

If only lives didn’t have to be lost. Makoto wonders if that’s too naïve, too idealistic of her, to want to think that way. In a realistic setting, being under an awful general, or boss, would result in coups and dead generals. So she thinks.

Oh, look at her, trying to think as if she actually _has_ an army. Queen is only just a name, Makoto reminds herself. It looks like Togo’s realized the same thing, because they both look at each other at the same time and share a laugh, like they’re making fun of themselves.

And besides, Makoto thinks she’s more of a thief trying to fight against a giant army, if what constitutes as the public’s collective unconsciousness counts as a giant army. It’s a giant _something_ anyway. While Makoto would love to figure out what even the Shadows in Mementos are (mysteries are meant to be solved and she loves a good puzzle), she also doesn’t want to dwell on them anymore than necessary.

A sound snaps Makoto out of her thoughts and back to where she is. Togo’s cleaning up. Makoto moves to help her. They finish, and now they’re both standing outside the church, watching each other, like they’re waiting… waiting for… something Makoto’s not sure of. They cleaned up in mostly silence but it’d been a comfortable mood between them.

It’s Togo who decides to act, looking over at her. It’s here that Makoto notices how Togo usually is, how her head’s always just slightly tilted to the side, like she’s trying to hide behind the hair falling down the sides of her face. She’s smiling, though. Togo is a pretty girl, Makoto can't help but think every single time.

“I’m glad you understand me,” she finally says. “I’ll see you next time. Good night, Niijima-san.”

“See you next time,” Makoto agrees with an eager nod. “Good night, Togo-san.”

As she watches Togo walk off, Makoto finds herself half-wishing that it already is next time.

* * *

Makoto’s about to leave the bookstore when she notices it.

If it wasn't for Ann on the cover, though, she probably would have never caught it at all. It's a fashion magazine, showing off the latest trends of fall attire. Is it already fall? Makoto swears her summer’s just sped right by, what had she even been doing? Ah, right. Medjed and Futaba-chan.

But they’re not meeting up today, so Makoto’s wandering a bit in the shopping mall before heading home to study for exams. The library’s been too noisy with all the students constantly gossiping about the Phantom Thieves. She wishes they'd stop but that's like trying to wish for exams to be delayed.

She picks up the magazine, eyes roaming over the cover. Makoto’s never been one to follow things like fashion, but even she can't help but think that the clothes Ann's wearing look nice.

But Ann’s a beautiful girl, so she makes everything look nice.

Curiosity makes Makoto flip through the pages. There’s other models inside the magazine. Makoto gives them a cursory glance. She’s much more interested in wanting to see if Ann has more pages. It’s because Ann’s so pretty and Makoto likes to be appreciative of her friend’s good looks. So she tells herself.

She’s busy flipping through the pages that she nearly misses it.

 _Almost_.

Her eyes go wide at the familiar face staring up at her from the magazine. She quickly spreads it wide open. A few seconds of shock pass where she confirms that yes, it is indeed the very person she thought she saw, and then she starts roaming all over the two-page spread.

“The _idol_ of the shogi world, the Venus of Shogi,” Makoto reads aloud, breathlessly. She feels like she’s stumbled onto some secret, except this secret is out in public and Makoto’s the only one who doesn’t know.

On the page, Hifumi Togo gazes up at her coyly, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her head’s tilted slightly, cocked toward the camera like she’s listening attentively. Her hair, long and black, falls along her face like a frame, a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She is… mesmerizing.

Makoto swallows. She might need a drink at one of the vending machines outside.

“Ah.”

That voice.

 _That’s_ —

Makoto whips her head to her side, nearly seizing in panic when she sees the all too familiar curtain of black hair, the blue Kosei uniform, and one frowning Hifumi Togo.

This is awkward. In more ways than one. Makoto does the first thing that immediately comes to mind: she smacks the pages of the magazine shut. Togo startles at the sudden action, eyes wide as she looks at Makoto.

“Uh!” Makoto’s too flustered to think properly and so, ends up blurting out, “I didn’t see anything!”

The look on Togo’s face can only be described as skeptical incredulity. Makoto’s starting to realize that might not have been the _best_ thing to say.

“Um, I mean, I, uh, saw this magazine, and, um, you see, Ann’s on the cover—she’s one of my friends—well, she goes to Shujin, and we just happen to—”

“Takamaki-san?” Togo’s soft voice interrupts Makoto’s rambling, of which Makoto is more than grateful for. “I worked with her once, when I was starting out. We talked for a bit.” She smiles warmly. “She noticed I was nervous and gave me some advice to calm me down. She’s very nice.”

Makoto shares in her warmth. “She really is, isn’t she?”

Togo gives her another smile before her eyes move back to the magazine. Makoto follows her gaze—

“A-ah, um, let me just put it back—”

“No, it’s fine.” Togo shakes her head and reaches out, plucking the magazine from Makoto’s hands. She flips to the page she’s on. “I’m already in the magazine. Those pictures are meant to be shared. What’s the use of… being embarrassed after the deed?”

Even as she says that, Makoto notices the small bout of hesitance flashing across Togo’s face. Makoto glances back and forth between the girl on the pages and the one in front of her. Togo doesn’t seem to be too bothered as she reads over the interview in the magazine, but Makoto can’t help but feel like there’s just something else there, something that Makoto’s not getting.

Still, that Togo is also a model should come as no surprise to her. Makoto’s no expert but she thinks Togo has the body that most models would kill to have: tall and slender, with a small face, dainty, lithe…

Makoto coughs to herself. She should compliment Togo, though.

“You looked really nice. I mean, in the magazine. Um, not that I’m not saying you don’t look nice _now_ too, but, um.”

Stopping _there_ is probably the worst thing Makoto could do in this conversation. Her mind flashes back to when she tried to talk to Futaba.

“ _I’m the student council president, I have to know how to talk to people!”_

So much for that.

She’s busy quietly being horrified at herself, and Togo, well, Togo looks… stunned. She’s looking at Makoto like she’s not sure what to say, like she’s trying to figure out what to say. Makoto doesn’t blame her. She must’ve sounded… like one of _those_ fans. Makoto’s seen Ann deal with them before. The thought of coming across as one of those pushy fans makes Makoto cringe.

“I’m sorry, I must have sounded strange.”

“No, no,” Togo immediately says. Makoto thinks she’s just being polite. The two of them stand there, awkwardly shuffling their feet. Never has Makoto ever felt like putting her face into her hands and groaning aloud than right now. Togo must think her embarrassing and creepy.

“Niijima-san,” Togo starts, and Makoto nearly flinches. She’s holding her breath, waiting for Togo to excuse herself—

“That means a lot. Thank you.”

Makoto, surprised, looks over at Togo, gaping. That’s… _not_ what she expected the other girl to say. There’s a faint smile on Togo’s lips. “I appreciate your comments. It’s… it was cute.”

The surprise must be showing on Makoto’s face but now she’s embarrassed. Togo looks like she is too, by how she looks away and seems sort of uncomfortable.

_Something, something for them to talk about…_

“Will you be at the church tonight?” Makoto blurts out.

“Ah, no, I won’t be. I usually don’t go today, but that might just change.” Togo looks thoughtful before she finally nods. “If you like, we can exchange contact information? I’ll let you know if I’ll head over to the church.”

Makoto hopes she doesn’t look too eager when she nods. They do, and Makoto can’t help the smile when Togo’s message pops up on the screen.

“Got it. This will be much better than me checking the church when I had time.”

“Goodness, you were checking?” Togo’s looking at her with wide eyes. “I’m glad we exchanged contact info, then.”

“I’m glad too,” Makoto says with a sheepish laugh, blushing. That last part hadn’t meant to come out. “It’s sort of embarrassing walking into the church and then walking back out.”

Togo giggles, in that way Makoto can only really described as refined, by the way she raises her hand to her mouth first. It’s a gesture that really fits her, Makoto can’t help but think. Her giggle is like a chuckle that sounds like polite laughter but the way her eyes are crinkled, Makoto knows it’s genuine. And, besides, she gets the feeling that Togo’s not someone for deceit.

“I’m afraid I have to leave for cram school now, but it was a pleasant surprise to run into you…” Togo abruptly trails off, pushing her lips together and looking at Makoto strangely. If Makoto were to describe it, she’d say Togo looks… uncertain? Shy? Makoto feels a blush rising to her cheeks though she’s not sure why.

“… Makoto,” she finally says.

“Huh?” Makoto blinks at her. Togo’s cheeks redden but she seems to laugh, taking a step away.

“I’ll see you next time, _Makoto_ ,” she says, and _now_ Makoto finally understands what’s going on.

“Um, yes, n-next time, Hifumi,” Makoto gets out in an unflattering stammer. She gets another laugh, and a smile, and Makoto can’t help but stare as the other girl walks away.

“Hifumi,” Makoto mumbles, slowly nodding to herself. A few more seconds pass and _now_ the realization is hitting her, with what they’ve done. It shouldn’t be such a big deal but somehow, it does. At least, that’s what Makoto feels like. It’s honestly strange that Makoto hadn’t insisted on having Togo—Hifumi, she reminds herself—using her first name, since she’s done the same with Ann and the others.

Makoto grins, and then remembers she’s holding onto a magazine. She blinks at it, wondering why she has a magazine of Ann on the cover before it hits her _again._

She’s about to shove the magazine back onto the rack before she freezes. She scans around, checking to make sure Hifumi really is gone—

No, no!

Makoto hastily shoves the magazine back onto the rack. A drink. She needs a drink. An iced drink sounds good. Even if she normally keeps track of her calories and diet, she’ll make an exception here. Makoto buys a cold drink and gulps it all in one go. There. Now she can think.

She returns in two days instead ( _just in case_ ) and buys a copy.

* * *

Somehow, they start messaging each other as well. They still meet up at the church to play shogi but they’ve started to veer onto other topics. Hifumi mentions some more of her modeling and the interviews sometimes, which Makoto pays rapt attention to.

 _Pick up a copy later_ , Makoto makes sure to note.

It feels… refreshing, to have a friend outside of the Phantom Thieves. Not to say that that those in the Phantom Thieves aren’t great friends, completely the opposite, but it seems like all they talk about nowadays are their activities and worrying about the public thanks to the Phan-site and rumors they hear. There’s been an odd tension in the air when they meet, one no one wants to address. Makoto feels like as the senior of the group, she should mention something, but even she’s unsure of what’s going to happen in the future.

“Makoto?”

Makoto blinks, and finds Hifumi’s looking at her worriedly. “Are you fine? If you’re tired, we can stop here.”

“Ah, no, it’s fine.” Makoto shakes her head and smiles reassuringly. “I was… just thinking about a lot of things.”

“I understand,” Hifumi says, with a quiet sigh. There’s a small frown on her face as she looks away from their game, most likely lost in thought. Makoto’s about to ask her what’s wrong before Hifumi shakes her head and smiles back up at her. “Shogi is a match between wits and minds. We should do our best to stay concentrated on the battle, for our knights.”

Makoto laughs, and Hifumi does too. Just like that, the air between them is cleared. That’s right, they’ve come here to play shogi.

One battle at a time…

Even so, Makoto still can’t help but keep the Phantom Thieves at the back of her mind, and Hifumi can’t seem to stop sighing through their games.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why modeling?” Makoto asks one day. It’s been a curious thought at the back of her mind. She’s never thought to take Hifumi one for modeling. Then again, Ann says she models for a _hobby_ , if that could be possible. Makoto’s not sure how. Maybe Hifumi is the same way? Makoto doesn’t get that feeling from her, though.

Hifumi is quiet and reserved, something Makoto thinks shows best in her plays, where HIfumi is never aggressive unless absolutely certain of victory, always waiting, trying to bait out an attack. Rarely does she have any fits of spontaneity like Makoto does. But when Hifumi does _and_ acts on them, she’s wild and passionate, with a grin that seems so uncharacteristic for her as she slaps the board hard enough to let the sound echo through the air, and Makoto’s too busy staring at Hifumi in awe to concede her defeat.

Makoto wonders Hifumi will show the magazines that side of herself. She doesn’t think so. That Makoto gets to see this different side of Hifumi makes her feel… giddy inside.

Hifumi glances up at her before looking back down at the shogi board. She reaches up, brushing some of her hair and her red hairpin behind her ear as she concentrates on her next move. Makoto can’t help but stare a bit, trailing her eyes down the pale skin of Hifumi’s cheek to her now exposed neck. Hifumi’s fingers linger on her hair before dragging down her face, along her neck. They pause briefly on her neck before curling together and rest underneath her chin, her thinking position.

Makoto’s eyes follow every motion. She doesn’t even realize she’s staring until she hears the shogi piece striking the board. It’s not as loud like when Hifumi wins, but she still moves the pieces with enough dramatic flair to make a sound ring into the air. She wouldn’t be Hifumi without it, Makoto thinks with a smile, hurriedly looking away before Hifumi can notice her gaze.

Hifumi settles back on her seat with a sigh that’s both relieved and tiring. “Modeling…” she says afterward. She sounds forlorn, Makoto thinks. “Truth be told, I never wanted to do modeling, but it helped bring in extra money. Even if only a little bit at first, I helped ease the burdens on my family.”

“Your family?” Makoto asks. Hifumi hesitates and nods. It doesn’t pass Makoto’s attention.

“My father was a professional shogi player. When I was little, I would always watch him play. The way he commanded his pieces, how he always managed to turn the tables on a hopeless situation, how amazing he looked as he played… I loved it all. I knew, early on, that I wanted to be just like him.”

A pang shoots through Makoto, especially when she sees the fond expression on Hifumi’s face. She’s more than familiar with that look. She used to see it on Sae in days that seem so long ago. She remembers when she used to make that same expression.

When did she stop?

Hifumi sighs again, like a heave, like she’s trying to breathe out everything she doesn’t want. “A few years ago, my father fell sick. My mother, who worked as a local TV announcer, had to drop everything to take care of him. I wanted to try to help us as well so I began to enter shogi tournaments. My mother was against it though.” She smiles but Makoto thinks it looks ironic. “I suppose you could say, in the eyes of my mother, that shogi stole both her father and daughter.”

“It was my mother who suggested the modeling jobs. I agreed, because it would bring money in. If I could bring in more money on top of the tournaments I won, then I would gladly do it. I only want to support my family as much as I can. If it means I must take more modeling jobs instead of competing in shogi, then…”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Makoto says. Hifumi’s words and feelings resonate within Makoto. She wants to do what she can too, for her family. It makes her feel like she should already be graduating, already be finding a job, already be doing _something_ with her life to bring in money to ease Sae’s burdens.

_“All you need is to do is study hard, get into a good university, and get a good job. That’s all that matters in the world.”_

But is that all she really _wants_ to do?

“A pro shogi player, just like your father, huh?” Makoto murmurs. Hifumi inclines her head toward her, curious. Makoto looks up with a smile. “It’s admirable, following in your father’s footsteps.” She lets out a breath, and her smile becomes wry. “I’m… the same way. My father was a policeman. He… he always wanted to pursue the truth, no matter what it cost him. It gave him many admirers, but also many enemies.”

It doesn’t take much for Hifumi to put everything together, but Makoto pushes herself to finish. “He was chasing involving the underground when… an accident happened. A truck crashed into him. Both him and the driver died. It was ruled as an accident, but my sister and I knew… he’d been killed. Silenced.”

Makoto sighs heavily. With that one breath, it feels like everyone comes dragging out of her. She’s only told Akira this but it still feels nice to be able to tell someone else. “It’s unfair, so that’s why I want to be just like someone he was, someone who chased after the truth, someone who only thought about trying to do the right thing when no one else wanted to.”

She looks up at Hifumi, smiling ruefully. “Speaking of things like justice and looking for the truth, though, it sounds… really silly in this day and age, doesn’t it.”

Makoto’s not expecting that to be answered. She _feels_ silly, admitting her wavering idealism just like that, to someone who’s certain about what they’re going to do.

“Oh!” Makoto startles, remembering what they’d originally been talking about. She looks over at Hifumi, apologetic. “I’m sorry. I just talked about myself instead of you. I guess what I was trying to say was, I understand how you feel, about your father.”

Hifumi immediately shakes her head. “Not at all, don’t feel bad about that. In fact, I rather liked listening to you talk. It’s always been me talking. I’ve never been able to tell anyone else about this.”

“Hm? You don’t have any—” Makoto stops herself, to at least have the grace to be mortified when she realizes what she was just about to ask. She’s always been blunt, but even _this_ is _too_ blunt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

Hifumi cuts her off with a noise that sounds like a thoughtful hum. “No, it’s alright. I don’t… have very many friends, but I spend all my time with modeling and shogi that I don’t have time for them anyway. It works out, don’t you think?”

Makoto looks at her sadly. “But… that’s…”

Hifumi shakes her head, a smile on her face. “But, now, I have you.”

“… eh?” Surprise and disbelief run through Makoto as she looks over at Hifumi with wide eyes. “Me?” She points at herself as if to make sure. “Huh?”

“And Kurusu-kun, as well,” Hifumi adds, almost like an afterthought. “I’m happy that both of you come to play shogi with me at night.”

Oh.

Makoto exhales shakily, shaking her head, slowly recomposing herself. “Yes, of course. That’s what it is.”

Yes, that’s what it is, Makoto repeats, laughing at herself inside her mind. That’s exactly what it is.

… what exactly _is_ it?

And why does she feel… disappointed?

“Makoto?”

“Nah, just talking to myself,” Makoto answers with a smile. Of course, Hifumi meant them being friends. Makoto’s glad for that too. She’s never met anyone else like Hifumi, it makes her happy that Hifumi would consider them friends and not odd acquaintances that meet up to play shogi at night in a church.

“You know, I think that’s fine too,” Hifumi suddenly says. “Justice, truth, fighting for the weak, doing the right thing when no one else will… it makes you sound like a hero, doesn’t it? Somewhat like the Phantom Thieves.”

“A hero? Phantom Thieves?” Makoto thinks back to those days when she was young, when she watched all those hero shows on the TV, when she used to imitate their every move and pose. That’s the image of hero that comes to her mind. Not… _not_ the image of her friends in their ragtag outfits that come to mind. Sure, they’re fighting against the powerful taking advantage of the weak, but to be called actual heroes?

Maybe back then, when all they’d done was deal with Kaneshiro, Makoto would’ve readily agreed. Now, after Medjed and them working on  Okumura’s Palace, she’s not so sure.

“In a way, yes.” Hifumi’s voice cuts through Makoto’s thoughts. “They say they’re fighting for the weak, giving a voice to those who can’t fight back. They may be sneaking around in the shadows, but their goals seem… admirable.” A gleam comes into her eyes, something that seems too bright for Makoto to ignore. “I wonder if they’re all acting on their own, or if they have a leader. Someone to advise them. It must be someone cunning, to evade the authorities for so long.”

Makoto freezes. Her heart’s pounding, so hard she swears it’s going to go straight out of her chest. Calm down. She needs to calm down. Hifumi’s just talking.

But why, do her eyes seem a little _too_ sharp?

Hifumi raises a hand to her mouth, giggling behind it. “Ah, the greatest mystery of our time. I can’t help but wonder exactly who they are.”

“Are… are you…” Makoto can just _feel_ the sweat forming on her face as she tries to keep herself calm. “Are you interested in meeting them?”

Why did she ask that? She’s not sure.

Hifumi looks away, crossing her legs as she puts a finger on her chin and mulls over the thought. Each second of silence that ticks by makes Makoto want to fidget. Finally, _finally_ , Hifumi uncrosses her legs and looks over at Makoto, a small twinkle in her eyes.

“If I could, I’d like to hope that one of them knows how to play shogi.”

Makoto bursts out in laughter, so sudden that even Hifumi’s taken aback.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t expect an answer like that,” Makoto finally explains in shuddering breaths. “People usually say something like ‘change someone’s heart’ and stuff like that, you know?”

Makoto’s still distracted from laughing to notice the uneasy expression that crosses Hifumi’s face, whispering to herself, “Change someone’s heart…” A sigh pushes past Hifumi’s lips before she shakes her head and looks back up. Makoto’s starting to calm down by now.

“I hope they know how to play shogi too,” she says, a rare glint of teasing in her eyes, and even Hifumi can’t help but laugh at that.

* * *

“I think… I’m being checkmated.”

The words leave Hifumi just as Makoto sits down.

“… what?” Makoto turns fully toward Hifumi, unable to figure out what she could mean. “Check… checkmate?”

Hifumi nods, a painful expression on her face. “My mother recently arranged a match between me and a professional shogi player. I was delighted, but…” Here, she bites her lips. Her hands, resting in her lap, clench together. “My mother wants me to lose the shogi match.”

Of all the things Makoto expected to hear, it’s not that. Lose the match? For what reason? It doesn’t even make _sense_ to Makoto.

“My mother… she no longer sees me as a shogi player. She says that if I were to lose to him and then make a comeback, it’d be seen as a tragic and empowering story, win me over with female fans. I…” Hifumi shakes her head. “I… I admit that I can see some truth in her words. But… I…”

“That’s bullsh—” Makoto manages to cut herself off with a hiss. Cursing in a church is unbecoming of her, not that she isn’t the type to curse very much in the first place. Being with the Phantom Thieves has liberated her in ways more than one, she’s realizing. She clears her throat, calming herself down before she speaks though she still feels that hot flash of anger. “That’s… that’s not right. This is such a good chance for you!”

“I… I know.” Hifumi’s voice is the softest Makoto’s ever heard. “But I cannot deny the appeal of such a story. More people would buy the magazines, and I would be able to bring in more money for my family… but…”

“It’s not what _you_ want to do,” Makoto finishes for her. Hifumi looks away and wraps her arms around herself. The pained expression on her face seemingly gets worse. Makoto feels herself ache at how torn Hifumi looks.

“Can’t you talk to her?” Makoto asks. It’s a little funny, how she sounds more desperate than Hifumi does.

“I… I’m afraid she will no longer listen to reason,” Hifumi replies softly.

Negotiations are out then.

 _Her name,_ Makoto thinks. _If we had her name…_

“Her… name?” Hifumi looks at her confusedly. Makoto’s realized she just said that aloud.

“N-nothing!” she quickly says, smiling nervously. “Just talking to myself.” Hifumi looks unconvinced, but slowly nods. They exchange a few more words afterward, and Makoto’s wishing she could do more for her friend other than hollowly promising that things would work out somehow.

Later, Makoto lays in bed, staring at her phone. It would be easy, to reach out, send a simple message to Hifumi.

_“What is your mother’s name?”_

But she can’t. Something’s holding her back. She wants to do this for Hifumi, but there’s whispers she hasn’t been able to get rid of, sneaking up on her at the back of her mind.

Is it okay for her to leave things as they are? Is it even her right to ask for something like that?

Is what they’re doing really justice?

Makoto no longer knows how to answer that.

* * *

“We’re going into Mementos today,” Akira announces when they gather at the hide-out.

Ryuji pumps his fist. “All right! I’ve been wanting to head into there for a while! We’ve got a bunch of requests too, don’t we?”

“We’ve got one more,” Akira says, sneaking a glance over at Makoto. Of course, she doesn’t miss that. “Mitsuyo Togo.”

Makoto’s leaping out of her seat to her feet before she can help herself. Everyone’s looking at her strangely but she can’t care about that, her eyes wide as she stares at Akira.

“T-Togo?” she whispers, still in disbelief. He nods and opens his mouth to speak, but Morgana interrupts then, giving his usual rundown of the target.

“A mother who’s been using her child to get the fame she couldn’t. She’s ignoring the wishes of her daughter, Hifumi, who only wanted to play shogi. Now, she’s forcing her to quit shogi and go into modeling, to get more attention and money—”

Yusuke dramatically rises from his seat, interrupting Morgana. The anger is more than palpable from him, his face twisting into a furious sneer that might look ugly on anyone else except him. “A parent treating their child as a tool… unforgivable! I agree on the target.”

Everyone else voices their agreement.

Except one.

Haru’s stopped taking sips from her cup of tea, twisting her fingers in her lap. When she realizes it’s gone silent and all eyes are on her, she slowly looks up at them. Her lips push together before she slowly nods. “Okay,” she says.

Yusuke’s fury is understandable but this case must resonate with Haru as well, Makoto thinks. How terrifying it must be, trying to rise against a parent who must have had good intentions in the beginning. That must be what makes it hurt so much. Makoto wonders how that must feel, changing to heart of someone close to her.

 _It’ll be Sae’s turn soon_ , a dark part of her whispers—

Makoto clenches her hands into fists before relaxing. Instead, she thinks about how everything could have happened with Hifumi. All Hifumi wants is to follow the footsteps of her father. How could her mother forsake her own feelings like this?

Changing the shadow of a parent… Makoto wonders, if Hifumi had been here, had been one of the Phantom Thieves, wonders if she would have agreed or objected to this. It’s for the better, isn’t it?

Not for the first time since the Medjed incident, Makoto starts to wonder.

Are they _really_ doing the right thing?

But that’s why they’ve become the Phantom Thieves, right? To give courage to the weak, to punish the wicked and evil that prey on others, the selfish scum of society that trample over the weak to get their way. A parent abusing their child is no better than any of the others who commit wrong-doing.

Before Makoto realizes, they’ve warped right into Mementos. Akira looks over at them, seemingly deciding who to take with him. Yusuke immediately volunteers himself, as does Haru, her voice stronger now. One more…

Akira looks over at Makoto just as she steps forward. “Allow me to help.”

“Of course,” he answers right away, as if he’d been expecting that answer. The corners of her lips twitch upward. Akira’s always been too perceptive for his own good.

Nothing to it now. They’ve got a mother’s heart to change.

* * *

Makoto’s nervous as soon as they return to the real world. She wants to send a message but knows that'll look suspicious. So she holds herself back, waits for Hifumi to make the next move.

Thankfully, Hifumi sends her a message two days later, at night, when Makoto’s packing up her study materials.

_“There’s something I want to talk about.”_

_“Would you like to meet up on Sunday?”_

Makoto stares at her phone, waits exactly for five seconds to pass before typing out a response.

“ _Yes.”_

* * *

The shogi board is nowhere to be seen when Makoto arrives at the church. She’s about to ask why when Hifumi looks up at her, a tiny smile. “Good evening.”

“Good evening,” Makoto returns, if a little hesitantly. Hifumi rises from her seat, dusting off her dress.  

“If you don’t mind, would you like to go out somewhere?”

“Where?” Makoto blurts out, more than a little incredulous. She’s never been elsewhere with Hifumi. It feels strange, yet somehow exciting. Hifumi puts a finger on her chin as she thinks to herself.

“Kurusu-kun took me out to the park once. Would you like to go there?”

“Sure, we can go there,” Makoto answers. Hifumi smiles, and off they go.

They get to the park and settle down on a stone bench set in front of the pond. They haven’t spoken much, exchanging polite pleasantries, but Makoto feels like that’s not why Hifumi called her out here.

“So…” Makoto starts, thankful that Hifumi’s not looking at her to see her grimace at the awkward beginning. “Um, I mean, you wanted to… talk about something?”

“Ah. Yes,” Hifumi says before falling silent. Makoto waits. And waits.

“My mother,” Hifumi begins, an odd expression on her face, “admitted some things to me. She told me she was the one who sold fake stories about me to the tabloids, and that she’d been setting up my matches.”

“W-what?” Makoto hopes she sounds convincingly surprised. Everything she’s about to hear, she’s heard from Hifumi’s mother already. From her Shadow, really, but it’s almost the same thing.

“It was my mother who did everything.” Hifumi sighs and suddenly looks more tired than Makoto’s ever seen from her. “I feel so foolish. I noticed my opponent making odd moves at the strangest time but I never realized that it was all foul play. No, even if I did, I never asked them about it. So it looks like the skills that I had with shogi… they were all fake. None of it was true. All those games I thought I was winning for the sake of my family, it didn’t even matter—”

“Hey!” Before Makoto realizes what’s happening, she’s reaching out with her hand, grabbing Hifumi by the shoulder and shaking her slightly. “That’s not true! I still haven’t been able to beat you in a game! And you’ve shown me so many strategies that I would have never even seen! Whatever you’re thinking about yourself, you’re not! I mean, you had so much fun playing shogi, that… I…”

Makoto starts to falter, feeling her thoughts jumble together as she struggles to figure out what she can say for Hifumi. Her words start catching up to her brain and it makes her even angrier. So much for being eloquent, she sounds like a little kid, unable to even articulate what she’s trying to say. She’s always been one to keep calm and composed, but hearing Hifumi talk about herself like that, talk about herself like she’s... worthless… unable to do what she thought she was good at…

She doesn’t want anyone else to ever feel like that.

“But it is true that I let the victories get to my head. I can’t deny that.”

Makoto wants to say something, but she doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know what she _can_ say. How does she comfort a friend? Akira’s much better at this than she is. He’s a great listener and seems to know exactly what to say at the right moments. What would he say in this situation?

She’s spared from answering though, because Hifumi places her hand over Makoto’s, and smiles gently at her. “All those things you said earlier though, they made me very happy. Thank you.”

The unexpected words make Makoto blush, blinking at Hifumi before she returns her smile, if a bit shakily. Hifumi seems to laugh at her reaction, eyes crinkling with amusement. Soon, Makoto’s smile stops being stiff, melting into something genuine.

They’re still staring at each other. Hifumi’s hand is still on hers but Makoto swears it feels like Hifumi wants to hold on. At least, it doesn’t seem like she’s going to let go anytime soon. There’s… something strange in the air, like they’re both waiting for… waiting for _something_.

It would be easy, Makoto thinks, to lean forward. They’re much closer than she’s even realized—is Hifumi leaning forward to? Makoto thinks she is, she’s not too sure, her mind is starting to get hazy when she thinks about what’s about to happen, what’s happening right now, right in front of her, Hifumi inching forward, or maybe they both are, or maybe Makoto’s the one imagining everything, and she’s just being silly and indulging in—

Hifumi’s lips brush against hers. It’s a soft touch, shy and hesitant, exactly like how Makoto feels. In a moment that feels like too long and too short, Hifumi pulls away, glancing elsewhere and raising a hand up to hide her mouth behind it. Makoto knows her own mouth is open. She should probably close it, but Makoto can’t seem to figure out how to move in this moment.

“I’m sorry, I-I hope I wasn’t overstepping my boundaries,” Hifumi whispers, clearly embarrassed.

“N-no! Not at all! I-I mean, I was thinking of doing the same thing—I mean,” and Makoto stops speaking, knowing she’s only going to make herself look like a bigger fool if she keeps talking. Her cheeks are burning hot, like she’s on fire. Well, maybe not exactly _on_ fire. She’s experienced that once thanks to some bad timing from a Shadow and Ann, but somehow, this kind of burning feels way worse than that time. Not that she’d prefer being set on literal fire again, but this is the sort of thing she’ll recall years later, in the early hours of the morning when she’s trying to sleep, and her eyes will snap open with this memory and a _oh god, I did that_ and the rush of embarrassment will eat her alive—

“Makoto, are you okay?” Hifumi asks, with her brow furrowed in worry, and Makoto blinks.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine!” she says with a bubble of nervous laughter. Hifumi’s unconvinced, and looks even more worried. She casts her eyes downward, a soft sigh leaving her lips. Makoto wonders if it’s normal to think about wanting to kiss her again.  

“So, um,” Makoto starts, wondering what to even say. No, she does know what to say, but she’s unsure if she even wants to ask at this point. Maybe she’s supposed to know, or they’re supposed to know, but Hifumi seems to be just as clueless about this as she is. “So,” Makoto starts again, hoping that if she says this long enough, _something_ will come to her.

“I’m... afraid I don’t… know how to study this,” Hifumi speaks up then before Makoto can blurt out something even more embarrassing. Makoto almost wants to laugh, because it just sounds _so_ silly yet quite like Hifumi to say this, until the other girl speaks again. “I was under a ban for dating for my modeling, but I suppose I’m no longer under that rule.”

Makoto flushes even redder as she squeaks, “Dating?”

Hifumi joins her in turning red though Makoto swears her own face is still darker. How can they possibly make this less embarrassing? “This… was not how I expected this to happen, truthfully,” Hifumi says, abashed.

“Me neither,” Makoto admits. Somehow, though, those confessions seem to break some of the tension between them. They’re completely in the dark about this, but it feels nice to know that Makoto’s not the only one floundering. Slowly, they look back up at each other, and share a hesitant smile.

Makoto decides maybe they should set this straight. Or… something. “I… like you,” she says, slowly, like she’s testing the words out. The thought’s never quite occurred to her until right now, or maybe she’s never entertained the thought, but she guesses that’s what it must be, looking back on everything. How didn’t she realize it, all the times she caught herself staring at Hifumi, thinking how pretty she is?

Hifumi is indeed beautiful and clever, and there’s a certain resonance Makoto feels with her that she doesn’t toward anyone else. Makoto’s always thought of shogi as something very analytical, a game of smarts, will, and patience. But, since meeting Hifumi and playing all those matches, has she ever thought something like shogi could be so… fun, especially with the life Hifumi injects in their games with her… creativity. Their approaches might be different, but they both seem to understand each other. Makoto’s never quite felt anything like it, how she could read so much of someone from just playing shogi with them, how she could lose so many times and still keep coming back for more.

Hifumi smiles, eyes crinkled. “Likewise,” she returns.

“Really? That’s it?” Makoto can’t help the tease but she’d thought confessing these things would be more… grand. Bigger. Not that she has any idea. The action movies she’s watch have heroes getting the girl at the end when emotions are already running high, not like the more intimate atmosphere they have instead. At the same time though, somehow, this feels perfect too, for the both of them.  

“I like you as well,” Hifumi properly says as she looks straight into Makoto’s eyes, a hint of pink dusting across her face. It’s cute, Makoto thinks. “To be honest, I thought this would happen while we played shogi.”

“Me too,” Makoto admits, slightly amused. Of all the things, she didn’t think shogi would lead to _this_. They share a tiny smile with each other, laughing quietly to themselves.

“My match is next Sunday,” Hifumi suddenly says, “and… if you don’t mind, would you like to come watch? You’ll have to catch a stream of it, though. The actual place where the match will be is too small for you to sit in.”

“Match?” Makoto blinks at her.

Hifumi nods. “With the professional shogi player, the one my mother wanted me to throw.”

“Oh! Are you—”

“No,” Hifumi immediately says with a firm look before it softens. “But given what I know now… it will be a tough battle.” She bites her lip, clearly nervous. Hifumi’s never been one to show her nervousness during shogi, but Makoto’s plays have never quite cornered Hifumi the way she must be feeling right now already. Makoto gets the urge to reach out and hold Hifumi’s hand, tell her that she’ll be okay, but is that too forward for her? For them? Makoto doesn’t even know what’s appropriate—

Oh, to hell with that.

Makoto reaches out before she can think otherwise, carefully placing her hand on top of Hifumi’s. She waits for what feels like an agonizing several seconds, but Hifumi doesn’t move her hand away. That’s a good sign, right? She’ll take it.

“It’ll be alright,” Makoto says, with confidence, making a fist with her other hand even. “This is an opportunity you can take!”

“Yes…” Hifumi smiles, if a little wryly. “I plan on admitting everything before I play, though. I wouldn’t be able to feel right with myself if I didn’t.”

“Are you sure?” It’s the right thing to do, yes, but that doesn’t mean Makoto’s not worried about the backlash Hifumi will receive.

“I would be lying if I said that I was… not afraid, but better to get the truth out than to let this dark secret hang over me. I would have no right to play shogi if I didn’t. And… I would like my father to watch me play with pride. When I think about how much I would disappoint him…” she shakes her head. “I don’t think I can rightfully continue.”

Makoto listens to every word, nodding with a relieved smile. Hifumi’s already set on her decision, something like this will only make her stronger. Makoto’s had reservations about going into Mementos, but to see Hifumi so resolute, she’s glad that they’ve gone in. Hopefully Hifumi’s father will understand everything. And from what she’s heard from Hifumi’s mother, all those things hadn’t been done with bad intentions from the start.

Makoto blinks suddenly, realizing the warmth underneath her hand is gone. Hifumi’s slipped away her hand, and she looks torn. “Hifumi?”

“You know everything about me, now. I’m a fake. All those strategies and tactics I taught you, you learned them from someone who has no right to be teaching others. I acted so arrogantly, and yet…”

Makoto immediately shakes her head. “Please, don’t think of yourself that way. I had so much fun playing shogi with you, talking about everything. And admitting all those things about yourself, that’s braver of you than I could imagine.” She hardens her gaze, to show how serious she is. “You know, if you had decided to keep the charade up, I would have changed my mind about you.”

Another wry smile graces Hifumi’s lips. “Maybe I said all those things earlier as a show. What if I don’t confess before my match?”

Makoto doesn’t drop her stare. “But will you?”

Hifumi closes her eyes, collecting herself before meeting Makoto’s eyes. There it is, that glimmer of steadfast resolve Makoto’s seen just a few times during their matches, when Hifumi had gotten _really_ into it. “No. I will meet my enemies head-on this time. Even if I am ambushed, I will not run. I must handle this with the dignity of a queen, for the sake of my kingdom. If my hand wavers, how are my knights to follow me?”

A tiny huff of laughter sneaks out of Makoto. She can’t help it, not when Hifumi purposely toes the line between hilariously over-the-top and seriously believable. Even Hifumi lets out a smile that Makoto would describe as embarrassed satisfaction.

“Are you sure you’re feeling… fine about it, though?” Makoto asks, worried that Hifumi’s only putting up a brave front just for her. The smile on Hifumi wavers for just a brief moment.

“What’s done is done,” Hifumi finally says, letting out a sigh afterward that seems to say everything else she doesn’t want to put into words. “The only path I have is forward. My goal is clear, now more than ever. My mother almost made me lose heart, but I’ve regained my pride as a shogi player, and I will no longer forget it.”

“That’s good,” Makoto answers, smiling at the conviction Hifumi has. She’s almost wishing she could take some of it for herself. But, this, this is what makes being a Phantom Thief worth it. If they hadn’t gone to steal Togo’s heart, Hifumi wouldn’t be given this chance. Even with all her doubts and hesitation, Makoto still wants to dearly believe that what they’re doing as the Phantom Thieves are still worth it.

Seeing Hifumi like this makes Makoto regain her confidence in both herself and the Phantom Thieves. There’s nothing wrong with their goals, there just can’t be.

Makoto grins at Hifumi as she pumps a fist. “Well, you’re all set! Go win your match!”  

“Ah… now you ask for the impossible,” Hifumi says, with a smile that’s wistful. Makoto winces and opens her mouth with an apology on the tip of her tongue, but Hifumi shakes her head. “No, I must admit it. As I am now, I’m like an ant challenging an elephant.”

“That’s…”

“But, ants are tenacious. I won’t take my defeat so easily. I hope to at least put up a good match.”

“Of course,” Makoto says with a grin. “Cause some trouble out there! As much as you can!”

Hifumi raises her eyebrows. “Is that what a student council president should be saying?”

“Within reasonable bounds, then,” Makoto corrects, and Hifumi giggles. It’s a nice sound. Makoto’s glad she can hear it after everything they’ve talked about.

It’s getting late, Makoto suddenly thinks. They should be going home soon, but neither Hifumi nor her seem keen on leaving just yet. That’s fine too, Makoto thinks, holding Hifumi’s hand just a little tighter. Makoto’s never thought this moment would be possible, and to be honest, it still seems strange, but she’d like to savor this time between the two of them just a little longer. Hifumi might play shogi with both her and Akira, but _this_ is between only the two of them. Makoto rather likes the sound of that.

“After my match… would you… like to...“ Hifumi starts before she pauses, suddenly shy, and Makoto thinks she knows what she wants to ask. It’d been on her mind too, and she’s more than glad she wasn’t the only one thinking it.

“Let’s go on a date,” Makoto finishes, prouder of the fact that her face isn’t _completely_ on fire after those words. If she looks over at Hifumi though, it might just be.

“... yes,” Hifumi finally answers, and Makoto lets out the breath she’d held, as she finally looks over at Hifumi. She doesn’t look as red as Makoto feels, but Makoto can still see the hint of red spreading across her cheeks. It’s cute.

“It’s getting late,” Makoto says. She doesn’t move, though.

“Mm,” Hifumi hums. She doesn’t move either. But she does speak again. “Makoto, may I ask you a question?”

“Hm?” Makoto wonders what it could be.

“Are… are you… and Kurusu-kun…”

Makoto waits. And waits. Oddly enough, Hifumi doesn’t continue, but she has a thoughtful look on her face, looking at Makoto curiously. Makoto tries not to fidget under the sudden scrutiny. Seconds more pass, and Hifumi lets out a soft exhale, like she’s laughing.

“… I suppose that will be a question for another day,” she only says. Makoto thinks she might have an inkling of what Hifumi’s thinking of, but Hifumi smiles warmly at her, and Makoto decides she’ll put it aside.

Perhaps, over a game of shogi, Makoto will bet her secrets for a victory over the Venus of Shogi. 


End file.
